Friday, October 11, 2013

August is a spoiled sweet month. There is the sweet putrid smell of the
end of summer. Fruits are ripe on trees and fall on the streets without notice.
Rancid plums or peaches may stain your car’s hood overnight, blackberries
shrivel on every corner, and stores have the best deals on local berries of the
year.

The plans for multiple picnics, river trips, hiking extravaganzas, and
the ultimate camping nights always seem plausible when summer stats;, but once
you hit August you realize that “Ain’t nobody got time for that”, so you turn
on your AC, get some delivery pizza and if you are determined enough, make
something out of those berries before you pop them in your mouth like popcorn.

This summer has rushed by like hoard of hungry zombies; changes galore
have been torn up in seconds by these hungry guests. Yet, I have managed to
accomplished things to be proud of. Finding a resting spot for my heart, a
temporary home for my plants, a workout my muscles are eager to accomplish, and
a peace my mind has been striving for the last months.

A piece of pie and a cold beer is sometimes all you need to make a
weekend feel like a real weekend. A stella is an occasional reward I allow
myself somewhat often. The light crispness combines well with a good variety of
my favorite foods, specially sushi.

On this occasion, I allowed myself a six pack of Stella and some
farmers’ market berries and rhubarb. It makes a perfect simple treat when the
sweet tooth is aching and the throat is thirsty for some ABV.

The second recipe is for the very special Dapper Hand Pies. My WA best
friend is the proud lady writer for the Dapperdinner.blogspot.com, where she
very somewhat often shares her exclusive recipes. We decided to join forces and
make some delicious and Handy Dapper Pies to give out on a beautiful Sunday
street event. Fresh berries, plums, peaches and basil were the following stars
of some swanky tunes by Rebel Without a
Cat. Overall, the enjoyment of fresh pastry, sun, tunes and friends are
something that smells, sounds and feels like summer.

A maze of sweet fruit, cold river water, old melodies, honeysuckle
scents, tight itchy sunburns, cold libations, and short dresses fill my
summers. This year was no exception, the putrification has started, and soon
the berries will dry up and wave a sad goodbye; see you next year.

I used the same dough for both desserts. I love the flexibility this
dough has once it is cooled. And the flakiness to richness ratio is just right.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

It is still summer and there’s still berries galore. Plus ripe
fragrant stone fruits, juicy tomatoes and colorful greens. The farmer markets
are the biggest event of the week, and anyone without a dog or a kid feels a
bit left out, but secretly lucky to be lacking. Being overwhelmed by the sheer
amount and variety of produce is definitely understandable. My first summers in
Vancouver I would be hesitant over each piece of fruit or vegetable, what if I
don’t use it? What if it spoils tomorrow? I’m sure apricots will be in season
next week right? I would leave the market with my usual pound of apples, an
apricot scone and a burning desire to own a bulldog to show off.

This year has meant a lot for me, I have made a lot of changes to my
life that have resonated who I am. Small changes in your ordinary life, like
getting those 4 dollar raspberries don’t seem like such a drastic difference,
but I have learned that big rewarding moments come from the smallest of
indulgences. That first raspberry you taste in the summer might make you smile
like you haven’t in years; making that pie or jam might give you the amount of
peace and control you have been looking for; and sharing your finished product
could make you feel like Santa in the middle of summer.

Finding a reason or moment to eat your produce is a lot easier than
finding these such produce in a moment of craving; and it’s even harder when
that craving hits a couple weeks later,
and you find out there is no one fresh tomato to have in the county. Summer
is all about adventuring in my mind, taking advantage of the long hours and
making memories; henceforth, I am always attempting to make significant
memories for each summer. The summer of the 6 pounds of strawberries (lots of
jam), the summer of juices (I juiced everything in my sight), and now, the
summer of the berry.

I am afraid summer will be over any second now, and here I am, buying
any produce I fancy and stuffing my face with glee. There will always be salt
to season those tomatoes, a napkin to wipe that plum juice off your chin, and a
great recipe to use up those berries in. This week I have a beautiful crostata
recipe I found online.

Crostatas are basically the fancier, skinnier and European cousin of
pie. It is an open faced dough disc that gets topped with fresh fruit and then
crimpled back to seal the juices while baking. The contrast of golden dough to
vibrant baked fruit looks divine on a white plate, and for the decadent
audience, vanilla ice cream could not ask for a better date.

This recipe made enough for two good sized pies, enough to feed four
comfortable sized adults or 6 models. The pies will fit in one baking sheet. I
made a blueberry and a basil peach one. The possibilities are infinite though,
off the top of my head I can imagine a mint blackberry, apple bacon, tomato brie
or mushroom gruyere. If I had some prepared dough in the fridge, there would be
a guarantee no summer produce would go to waste. Good thing memories last a lot
longer than crostatas do on the plate.

Friday, August 9, 2013

I have a terrible secret to admit. I like cream cheese. I
like cream cheese a little too much. I have memories from very long ago of some
Mexican cenas depending of cream cheese quesadillas and a good 2 inch sized block
of pure cream cheese on the side. Just by itself, cream cheese has a perfect
combination of creaminess, saltiness and tanginess that makes my taste buds
want to party. Adding sugar and lemon to the guest list is creating a dramatic
contrast that takes this regular party to one of Gatsby’s level.

So this summer, when I got carried away picking berries, I
Knew this was the right time to attempt one of my most ambitious ideas, cheesecake. Lemon
Berry Cheesecake. The initial recipe is from SmittenKitchen lime cheesecake. I
made a few changes to adjust to my ingredients and palate. I was immensely
impressed by the simplicity of the recipe and the end result. It is a very
straightforward cheesecake that delivers everything you want from a summer
sweet. I used blueberries and raspberries, but I bet any mix of fresh berries
will be great. I will keep this recipe in mind for the rest of the year, maybe
use some cranberries and pecans for fall, mint and chocolate for Christmas. Cheesecake,
I am ready for your party.

Cheese n Berries Cake

Crust

-1 ¼ cup graham crackers crushed

-3 T sugar

-½ stick butter, melted

1)Mix all ingredients and spread over heavily
buttered springform pan.

2)Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes and let cool.

Cake

-2 packages cream cheese at room temperature

-1 cup plus 2 T sugar

-¾ c lemon juice plus its zest

-½ c sour cream

-½ t vanilla

-2 ½ T flour

-¼ t salt

-3 eggs

-About 3 cups of mixed berries

-1 T apricot jam for glaze

1)Set oven at 350 F

2)Beat cream cheese until fluffy, add sugar and
mix

3)Add lemon, sour cream, zest, vanilla and beat to
smooth.

4)Mix in flour and salt at low speed until just
incorporated.

Time for art!

5)Add eggs all at once and mix until just
incorporated.

6)Pour into pan and bake for about one hour. Once
you jiggle the pan and the center doesn’t move its good!

7)Let cool on rack until completely cool!!! Now
its time to decorate

8)Arrange your berries as artistically as you
would like, go crazy! Just remember no one wants to be the person with no
berries in their slice, unless you are a mouse.

9)Heat up the T of jam with a T of water in the
microwave and glaze your cake with a brush, if the mixture is too goopy just
add more water.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Summer starts and I am pumped. It seems people have
multiplied like rabbits over the winter and once the sun is out, everyone is a
runner, hiker, kayaker, gardener and/or professional BBQer. One of my favorite
aspects is the produce. I try and keep a seasonal diet, and summer is the
cornucopia of seasons; when I get to indulge in my favorite fruit family:
berries.

Muffins with whipped cream cheese

The Pacific Northwest is known for its extensive array of
berries. Once the caviar of fruits in Mexico, now I pay next to nothing (or
nothing, when they grow in your own backyard) for this most exquisite candy
Mother Nature makes. By the handful fresh from the vine, in a pie a la mode,
over cheesecake, in baked goods, or just thrown in my morning cereal are my
favorite ways to gobble up pounds upon pounds of blueberries, raspberries,
blackberries and marrionberries all before you can say Labor Day.

This summer, after an extensive berry picking session I
created about four different desserts I would like to share with you. The summer is almost over, so you will either
have to hurry to the farmers market soon, or keep this in your mind for next
year. Believe me, I will be anticipating the next berry summer berry berry
much.

Blueberry Cherry Muffins

-5 T soft butter

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 egg

- ¾ cup yogurt or sour cream ( I used half and half because
that’s what I had around)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

In the parking lot of a Home Depot I did the best shopping I
have ever done in my life. It fit in one hand, soft as cashmere, smelled like a
taco and wriggled like a worm. There was no doubt in the sale, once that lady
put Chomper on my hand there was no way in hell I wasn't taking that smelly,
soft worm pup home.

I had the fortune (or not) of not having a job that summer
and really not doing much with my life in any way whatsoever, so I dedicated my
time to this beautiful little pup. We would spend those sweltering summer days
playing, walking and watching Netflix. He would start sleeping on my legs and
end up on my chest or shoulders, trying to be as close to my heart as possible;
he is now a 60 pound dog that believes I still enjoy this. My body goes numb,
but I enjoy every second of it.

He’s had his humorous puppy adventures, like he would climb
inside the reclining couch and scare the crap out of me when I noticed the
couch was howling. One night he got into his food bin and transformed into a
black beach ball that required lots of potty trips the next day, I thought I
had killed you, but you probably had the best night of your life. He has also chosen
to eat his good amount of REAL LEATHER shoes over, say old navy flip flops? Or
dog toys.

But he has always been there, with his scary excitement to
see me, encouraging kisses to force unto me and devoted looks to give me when
needed.

Chomper turned a year old this month. So I decided to make
him some treats and spoil his diet. He has never been too much of a food
beggar, but carrots are his kryptonite, anytime he would hear me chopping them
he would run to the kitchen and sit like a good boy until I obliged. And since
we used Peanut Butter for toys and treats, me and him would go through a jar of
it fairly quickly. I found this recipe for carrot and peanut butter dog cupcakes
online, but I think it is exceptionally delicious. They turned out more like
muffins because of the density, but with some cream cheese frosting the humans
were more than happy to taste. I will definitely be making these again for the
next night me and Chomper have of indulging and cuddling.

Carrot PB muffins

(makes about 6)

-1c flour

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/4 c natural Peanut butter (smooth of chunky is fine)

-1/4 c vegetable oil

-1 c shredded carrot

-1 tsp vanilla

-1/3 c honey

- 1 egg

- pinch of salt

Instructions

1)Combine flour and baking soda in large mixing
bowl

2)Add all other ingredients!

3)Bake at 325 for about 25-30 minutes.

4)Let cool and decorate with cream cheese frosting
for humans, for dogs I would recommend a tiny bit of frosting or peanut butter
to adhere a cute doggie treat.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Two mesmerizing eyes in a royal blue background, story that
stays with you, a character that deeply touches you, memories that haunts your
past.

A classic book most of us have read containing an exciting romance
that ends tragically, a great American drama. When I read this book a LOT of
years ago I remember finishing the last page and questioning what the hell was
all the fuss about. A mentally unstable man has trouble letting go of the past;
and ends up screwing up his life even further dedicating all his time, energy,
and money to convince this pretty ditzy girl to love him again. In the end, I
felt Gatsby got his karma right back where it was deserved; and old sport Nick
got a great story from it. I moved on with my life and into other books right
away.

Watching the 1974 Coppola classic movie was but a mere
strike of luck between laundry being ready to fold and Netlix having it
available. Again, a lovely story, a good ending, and a damn handsome actor. Let’s
move on to dishes and maybe some Family Guy later. Tonight, an hour after watching
the 2013 version of Baz Luhrman, I am transformed.

It was not the special effects, the selection of music, the
great acting, or the glass of wine I had before.

It was that moment. In Nick’s cottage, a dream of cascading white
orchids and the constant splatter of a summer rain. That striking moment when
Daisy and Gatsby lock eyes. I felt my heart skip a beat with hers, a tremble in
the lips and the memories course by.

“I am certainly glad
to see you again”

These words she bravely speaks; I don’t know if my brain is
smart enough to come up with or my heart foolish enough to allow. This moment
of reencounter, I don’t know if destiny has it in my plans. But pretending life
is actually a great novel, and mine were to be a tragedy, I only ask for there
to be orchids please.

Gatsby with his lies, Gatsby with his secret past, Gatsby with
his childhood, Gatsby with his extravagance, Gatsby with his passion, Gatsby
with his love. I tried to refuse my theories and see past it, see nothing but
Leonardo DiCaptio playing the role of a sick millionaire; but those flashes
would reappear: nights, wine, screaming, and pleading; feeling perfectly safe
and completely lost at the same time.

“You can’t repeat the past”

I had to smile and exit the theatre with the other people,
wondering if we had all felt the same. If nights were reminiscent and words
reinvaded in our brains. Maybe I understand Daisy better now, when she smiled
and agreed on returning to the past? or when she hung up the phone and left forever?
I am not sure. All I know right now is that if it happens, let there be white
orchids.